US12319944B2ActiveUtilityA1

Incorporation of unnatural nucleotides and methods thereof

83
Assignee: SYNTHORX INCPriority: Jul 11, 2017Filed: Oct 4, 2023Granted: Jun 3, 2025
Est. expiryJul 11, 2037(~11 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
C12N 15/90C12N 15/113C12Y 601/01026C12P 21/02C12N 9/93C12N 15/11
83
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
838
References
28
Claims

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods, compositions and kits for the synthesis of proteins which comprises unnatural amino acids that utilize a mutant tRNA.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of producing a protein comprising an unnatural amino acid in a cell, the method comprising:
 contacting the cell with an unnatural amino acid, the cell comprising:
 (i) a nucleoside triphosphate transporter from  Phaeodactylum tricornutum;    
 (ii) a tRNA from  Methanosarcina mazei  or  Methanococcus jannaschii  comprising an anticodon, the anticodon comprising an unnatural nucleotide comprising a first unnatural nucleobase independently selected from: 
 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           (iii) an aminoacyl tRNA synthetase characterized in that it aminoacylates the tRNA with the unnatural amino acid; 
           (iv) an mRNA encoding the protein comprising the unnatural amino acid and comprising a codon, the codon comprising an unnatural nucleotide comprising a second unnatural nucleobase independently selected from: 
         
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein the anticodon of the tRNA pairs with the codon of the mRNA; 
         wherein the mRNA is translated in the cell involving the tRNA, thereby producing a protein comprising the unnatural amino acid. 
       
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising introducing an unnatural nucleotide into the cell via the nucleoside triphosphate transporter. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first unnatural nucleobase or the second unnatural nucleobase is 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second unnatural nucleobase is 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       and the first unnatural nucleobase is 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anticodon comprises the sequence GYU or GYC, wherein Y is an unnatural nucleotide comprising the first unnatural nucleobase. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein Y is an unnatural nucleotide comprising the first unnatural nucleobase, which is 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aminoacyl tRNA synthetase is from  Methanosarcina barkeri  or  Methanococcus jannaschii.    
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cell is a microorganism or bacterium. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cell is  E. coli.    
     
     
       10. A method of producing a protein comprising an unnatural amino acid in a cell, the method comprising contacting the cell with at least one unnatural nucleotide and at least one unnatural amino acid, the cell comprising:
 (i) a nucleoside triphosphate transporter from  Phaeodactylum tricornutum;    
 (ii) a tRNA from  Methanosarcina mazei  or  Methanococcus jannaschii  comprising an anticodon, the anticodon comprising an unnatural nucleotide comprising a first unnatural nucleobase independently selected from: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         (iii) an aminoacyl tRNA synthetase characterized in that it aminoacylates the tRNA with the unnatural amino acid; 
         (iv) a nucleic acid encoding an mRNA encoding the protein comprising the unnatural amino acid and comprising a codon, the codon comprising an unnatural nucleotide comprising a second unnatural nucleobase independently selected from: 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein the anticodon of the tRNA pairs with the codon of the mRNA 
       wherein:
 (a) the at least one unnatural nucleotide independently comprises the first nucleobase or the second nucleobase: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         (b)(i) the mRNA comprising the codon is synthesized by transcription and the at least one unnatural nucleotide comprising the second nucleobase is incorporated into the mRNA during transcription; and/or (ii) the tRNA comprising the anticodon is synthesized by transcription and the at least one unnatural nucleotide comprising the first nucleobase is incorporated into the tRNA during transcription; and 
         (c) the mRNA is translated into the cell involving the tRNA, thereby producing a protein comprising the unnatural amino acid. 
       
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one unnatural nucleotide is introduced into the cell via the nucleoside triphosphate transporter and is incorporated into the mRNA and/or the tRNA during transcription. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first unnatural nucleobase or the second unnatural nucleobase of the unnatural nucleotide in the anticodon or the codon is 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       and/or wherein the unnatural nucleobase of the unnatural nucleotide in the mRNA is 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       and the unnatural nucleobase of the unnatural nucleotide in the tRNA is 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       and/or wherein the anticodon comprises the sequence GYU or GYC, wherein Y is an unnatural nucleotide comprising the first unnatural nucleobase. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein Y is an unnatural nucleotide comprising the first unnatural nucleobase, which is 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the cell is a microorganism or bacterium. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the cell is  E. coli.    
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one or both of the first unnatural nucleobase and the second unnatural nucleobase are each independently selected from: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one or both of the first unnatural nucleobase and the second unnatural nucleobase are each independently selected from: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the codon comprises the sequence AXC or GXC, wherein X is an unnatural nucleotide comprising the second unnatural nucleobase. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein X is an unnatural nucleotide comprising the second unnatural nucleobase, which is 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the unnatural amino acid is p-azido-phenylalanine (pAzF) or N 6 -[(2-propynyloxy) carbonyl]-l-lysine (PrK). 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising expressing the aminoacyl tRNA synthetase from a plasmid in the cell. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one or both of the first unnatural nucleobase and the second unnatural nucleobase are each independently selected from: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one or both of the first unnatural nucleobase and the second unnatural nucleobase are each independently selected from: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the codon comprises the sequence AXC or GXC, wherein X is an unnatural nucleotide comprising the second unnatural nucleobase. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24 , wherein X is an unnatural nucleotide comprising the second unnatural nucleobase, which is 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the unnatural amino acid is p-azido-phenylalanine (pAzF) or N 6 -[(2-propynyloxy) carbonyl]-l-lysine (PrK). 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising expressing the aminoacyl tRNA synthetase from a plasmid in the cell. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the aminoacyl tRNA synthetase is from  Methanosarcina barkeri  or  Methanococcus jannaschii.

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